Tag Archives: C.S. Lewis

God has given men and women the ability to discern good and evil, with the part of the mind called CONSCIENCE. It is an inner voice which calls us to do good and avoid evil. It makes us feel guilty when we do something wrong.

Have you ever wondered how it’s possible for people to do evil things and not be bothered about them? Some people can lie and never lose any sleep. They can steal and do other evil things, and it never seems to upset them. It seems that they have no limits to the evil that they could do; why is that?

WHAT IS AN EVIL CONSCIENCE?

An evil conscience is the opposite of a good conscience. A good conscience is effective—it convicts us when we have done wrong, and it encourages us when we have done right. But an evil conscience encourages the person when he does wrong and bothers him if he does something right! A person with an evil conscience is more concerned about reputation than about character. The tragedy of having an evil conscience is the damage that we do to other people.

Some of us don’t want to do good, they want to do evil. When they do something to hurt someone else, it doesn’t bother them because their inner light has turned into darkness. They also start to argue with the truth. They can explain away what he’s doing.

WHAT CAUSES AN EVIL CONSCIENCE?

EVIL CONSCIENCE

Many people today take sin so lightly is that they take God very lightly. When we do not have a holy respect for God, then we have no respect for holiness or for God’s judgment of sin.

You need to be warned: If you live with an evil conscience, ultimately it will destroy you. It will also destroy your fellowship with those who love you.

MIRACULOUS OIL from HEAVEN

The spiritual images began to ooze large quantities of olive oil. Other secular pictures on the wall like diplomas were not affected. Many sick people were healed by the application of this heavenly oil. The most prolific source of this oil comes from the above statue of Christ on a cross. Notice the small pail at the bottom of His feet.

Maureen Marolly and Clayton Marolly claim that the icons started “sweating” in October 1994. The live at

1609 boul. SunnybrookeDollard-des-Ormeaux QCH9B 1R4Canada

The pictures on the wall bear a multitude of holy patterns that look like Jesus’ face and other such things when you look closely. An example: a rose petal with an image of Jesus on it fell right on her. The petal is encased in glass and featured on postcards she gives out.

They have a daughter with Down’s Syndrome. Maureen says people report to having holy visions of the girl. They make miraculous recoveries from grave illness after witnessing this vision.

They welcome bus loads of visitors from the United States and Canada and give away vials of the heavenly oil. They accept no donations.

The Marollys, a devout Catholic couple from Pakistan live in a home in the West Island full of statues which get inexplicably covered in oil all day long. The thick, clear oil descends off the figures in such quantities that they require a small drain pipe to catch the viscous fluid into a glass jug at the end of the coffee table. Scientifically, it is true olive oil. The drain pipe is affixed to the coffee table that holds many statuettes that each ooze oil.

There are those holy people who also have a holy chapel in their home. These holy people trade their statuettes with those “sweating” statuettes on the large coffee table. The traded statuettes continue to sweat in their new holy environment.

WHAT IS THEOLOGY?

Theology is neither a nine-to-five job nor a career.To know and speak truly of God is a vocation that requires more than academic or professional qualifications. The image you should have in mind is not the professor with a tweed jacket, but rather the disciples who dropped everything to follow Jesus. Becoming a theologian means following God’s Word where it leads with all one’s mind, heart, soul, and strength.

Theology is the study of how to speak truly of Godand of all things in relation to God. But theologians can’t approach the object of their study the way biologists study living creatures or geologists the earth. God cannot be empirically examined. God is the creator of all things, not to be identified with any part of the universe or even with the universe as a whole. Speaking of God thus poses unique challenges. If God had not condescended to communicate to creatures something of his light, we would be in the dark.

BY GOD, OF GOD, TO GOD

Are you familiar with Thomas Aquinas’sdefinition? “Theology is taught by God, teaches of God, and leads to God.”

By God. Only God can make himself known. We’re simply children who love their father and want to know him better, who trust their father’s wisdom: “And He (Jesus) said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3

Of God. Theology is thinking hard about what God has taught about Himself and all things in relation to Himself.

To God. Theology is ultimately about cultivating godliness, in oneself and one’s community. A theologian is a certain kind of person, whose created intelligence has been illumined by the Holy Spirit.

It’s true, there is a guild of “professional” theologians—mostly academics who populate colleges, seminaries, and university divinity schools—and there are scholarly journals and awards to be had, not to mention salaries and sabbaticals.

Don’t confuse making a living as a theologian with living out the knowledge of God. If you aspire to speak of God, do so to please God, not people: “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people?”Galatians 1:10“We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.” 1 Thessalonian 2:4

When theology proclaims the deep mystery—God’s plan of redemption conceived “before the foundation of the world”: “For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.” Ephesians 1:4

It doesn’t promote cleverly devised myths, but reality. The world is passing away (even scientists agree, acknowledging that our sun will eventually burn out), but God’s Word endures forever:“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Matthew 24:35

Have you considered whether academic theology is your vocation rather than as a pastor or priest?

THEOLOGICAL THINKING

Let us begin with four adjectives (Trinitarian, biblical, catholic, and systematic) that qualify Christian theological thinking.

First, becoming a Christian theologian means developing a Trinitarian habit of mind. God the Father has reconciled the world to Himself in Christ through the Spirit (what Irenaeus calls the “two hands” of God).

Second, the best way to stay focused on the subject matter of theology is to stay focused on Scripture. It’s no coincidence that the most important figures in the history of theology—Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Barth—also wrote biblical commentaries.

C. S. Lewis’s distinction between looking at a beam of lightand lookingalong itclarifies what’s at stake. Those who look at the biblical text analyze it from a critical distance. They see the text, but not necessarily what it’s talking about. In contrast, those who lookalong the textenter into its strange new world.

God addresses us in Scripture and requires our response. It involves reading all the books in the Old and New Testaments as parts of an overarching story. The theologian is a kind of cartographer of this new world.

The third thing you must do to acquire a theological habit of mind is to read the Word of God with and for the people of God.

The best theologians are apprentices to Scripture and to the consensual tradition of its interpretation. Catholicity is a well-known mark of the Church; it ought also to characterize theologians. Let the gospel be the center of your thinking, but let catholic tradition fill out its content and fix its circumference. Know this: evangelical and catholic are bedfellows, not rivals.

The fourth theological habit of mind involves thinkingsystematically as we read the Word of God with the people of God. What unifies Scripture is the story of God’s determination to see through His purpose for creation to the end, a story in which Israel and the Church loom large, with Jesus Christ as its hinge and center.

PERSONALLY

Let’s turn to your question about the kind of person you need to become.The short answer is “wise”: a person with understanding who knows how to live out what he knows with three pairs of contrasting qualities.Continue reading ARE YOU AN ASPIRING THEOLOGIAN?→

HERE’S A SEARCHING QUESTION?

“If you were to die tonight, and “St Peter” or “Elijah” or “Mohamed” was at the “Pearly Gates of Heaven” and asked you, ’Why should God let you into His Kingdom?’– what would you say?” 1) What would your own personal answer be? 2) What do you think the answer would be from a true believing Christian?

THE MOST COMMON RESPONSES ARE:

a) I am not perfect, but in all honesty, I think I’m a good person. b) I sincerely try to keep the 10 commandments, c) I always try to do my best ( – although I sometimes fail) d) I know I am a good person ( – and at least better than one of my neighbors !)

The answers assume that if a person rates high enough on a divine “scale of goodness”, then that person SHOULD get into “heaven” based on their performance (or merit). The answers from people in other religions have a lot in common with these same answers.

BEING OPEN TO MIRACLES

It is the will of God that we should be healed. It is the will of God that we should be awake to love and aware of God’s goodness in our lives. What is the miracle in your lifethat you need to pray for?

If you want to believe in miracles, there is overwhelming evidencefrom physicians, who witness “life after death” experiences. In 2014 a four year study was made of over 2000 patience, who had some kind of awareness before they were revived from what appeared to be death. Over 46% of the patients experienced seeing light, feeling at peace and having thoughts.Sixty-three of them (2%) had out of body experiences where they could describe in great detail what was happening around them. The scientists who conducted the survey more favorably believed in life without a physical body after death:rather than simply believing that this life is all there is.Continue reading TRUE MIRACLES→

“Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

Sometimes temptation is not a struggle against personal weakness, but it is a strategic demonic attack to derail one’s faith. Yet, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” James 4:7. When we are tempted, God will provide a way out: “And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

Resisting temptation, repenting of sin, and renouncing the works of the devil and forgiving those who have harmed you account for 98% of all deliverance. Deliverance simple removes any obstacles so we may receive God’s blessing.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12Yet, the area of evil influences goes unnoticed and unaddressed in the pursuit of God’s healing. Too many Christians are quickly turning to professional counselors when a problem arises. God wants us to be healed and He wants us to be blessed. His power of deliverance is much greater that that of a gifted counselor.

Over 95 % of most people have no physical manifestation of evil. Yet, most believers will admit that certain areas of their lives are not submitted to Christ. Ironically, many faithful Christians have lived with hidden sins, compulsions, and fear and it never occurred to them that they are in need of deliverance from evil spirits. Of course, there are those who think that they can solve the problem themselves. So, pride prevents those from receiving God’s forgiveness and mercy.

Fear and unforgiveness are the biggest obstacles to being set free. It is the most prominent entryway of the devil: we need to respond to trauma, abuse, and issues involving family and friends. Once an entryway is exposed from this evil world such as alcohol, drugs and pleasure seeking, taking authority is very simple.

During a prayer of deliverance one may be asked to renounce a specific spirit. For example, you would repeat after the deliverer: “I renounce the spirit of unforgiveness, hurt and rejection. I forgive you _____________ or I renounce the spirit of adultery and unfaithfulness.

Then all healing happens when we repent or forgive and turn to God; it is then when we experience His love and acceptance. The interplay between healing and deliverance is integrated. Healing cannot be done unless there is total deliverance.

HERE AND NOW

Jesus shows us the way to be in the world without being of it. When we model our lives on His, a new world will open up for us. The Kingdom of Heaven will be ours, and the earth today will be our inheritance. We will be comforted and have our fill; mercy will be shown to us.

Yes, we will be recognized as God’s children and truly see God, not just in an afterlife, but here and now: ““Blessed [inwardly peaceful] are the gentle [the kind-hearted], for they will inherit the earth…Blessed are those who are persecuted for doing that which is morally right, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].”Matthew 5: 5, 10 That is the reward of modeling our lives on the life of Jesus!

We who are Christians must pray, read the bible and let our Lord lead us. Easy? No, for we are human and we have our thoughts and our feelings.

Walking in faith is not easy: we want the pleasures of the world at times, but turn away from that for it is not the way of Jesus. When we pray to our Lord, we find peace and contentment on earth NOW!

VOODOOISM

Vodou is primarily practiced in Haiti, New Orleans, and other locations within the Caribbean. There is great variation within Voodoo beliefs and practices. Many Vodou practitioners also consider themselves Catholics. Voodooism involves spiritual beings.

As well as being the priest or priestess, the houngan acts as confessor, confidential and financial advisor, prophet and healer for the people in the community. But the houngan is more a folk healer with a considerable knowledge of herbal remedies who treats minor illnesses. While selling love potions and protective charms, including small bags to be worn for protection or for good luck, may be a lucrative side business for a priest or priestess, the primary occupation is still as a spiritual leader of his community. Voodooists especially places value on the strength of community for support.

Loa or Spiritual Beings

The spirits of death, The Guédé are really an enormous group of the loa who are the spirits of formerly living people. He is the one who controls the passage between life and death. In ritual, he is often offered black goats or chickens. The most frequently performed ritual in Voodoo is one that invokes a particular loa (supernatural beings) to offer food to him and seek his presence on earth.

The most important components of a human body, however, are the two parts of the soul, the ti-bon-ange (‘little good angel’) and the gros-bon-ange (‘great good angel’). The gros-bon-age keeps the body alive, and after death, it returns to the reservoir of energy in the cosmos. Without the gros-bon-ange a person loses his/ her life-force. The ti-bon-ange makes up the half of a person’s soul and it is the source of a person’s personality. Furthermore, it is responsible for determining an individual’s characteristics, personality and will.

In Voodoo belief, death is not seen as the end of life, but as a change. The soul – the gros-bon-ange and the ti-bon-ange – endures after death in a different form. The gros-bon-ange returns to the high solar regions where it joins the other loa (supernatural being) and is itself transformed into a loa. Approximately a year after the death, the houngan (priest) performs a ritual, to ensure that the ti-bon-ange is put to rest. This ritual is very important because otherwise the ti-bon-ange may wonder the earth and bring illness and disaster on others.

A Distinctive Human Soul

A human person is a UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL BEING with a spiritual soul and a material body. Human beings alone are created in the image and likeness of God;and therefore, possess rational and spiritual souls: a human person is a body/soul composite.

BUDDHISM & NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE

Are there NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE in which a Buddhist encountered Buddha? YES!

Dr. Atwater is an international authority on near- death states as well as a near-death experiencer. She is one of the original researchers in the field of near-death studies, having begun her work in 1978. More than 3,000 people are registered at her discussion form site, and we understand that they have one of the largest databases on NDEs in the world.

Where arguments arise amongst various people and groups is over the interpretation of that lightand any form it make take, and how to regard it.

Scientists say it is endorphins; Muslims say it is fantasy; religious fundamentalists of any “stripe” say it is Satan (Lucifer). People of faith say it is either of God or of emissaries from God.

WHAT IS CLINICAL DEAD?

WHAT ARE NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES?

Numerous experiencers see figures and forms in the light. These are variously described as angels, guides, guardians, light beings (beings made entirely of light), religious figures, high holy ones and often kids call them “the people.”

The vast majority of individuals remain consistent overtime with what they say and do not distort original narratives. That means accusations of New Age jargon, religious prophesy, Christian visions, Western indulgences, or the like, are untrue.

THREE KINDS OF VERITABLE EVIDENCE

There can be mixups as in the case of Jeanie Dicus. She was a Jewess yet she was visited by Jesus. This so surprised her and confounded her that she promptly challenged Jesus, and continued to do so throughout her entire near-death episode, saying: “I don’t believe in You. Why are You here?”

Atheists report the same type of visitations as do religious folk. In other words, you don’t have to believe in anything to be surprised at what you find when you nearly die.

Where this situation gets fascinating is when you invite experiencers to draw the high holy one/religious figure who visited them. To a person, you cannot tell the difference between a drawing from someone in the State of Wyoming from one done in Thailand or Israel or Russia or China or Nigeria. Patterning holds; differences in patterning only concern a few details of dress and behavior. They certainly don’t look like Buddha.

THE EXHILARATING FUTURE THAT AWAITS YOU

In his book, IMAGINE HEAVEN, John Burke writes about survivors brought back from near death who lived to tell of both heavenly and hellish experiences. While not every detail of individual NDEs correlate with Scripture, Burke shows how the common experiences shared by thousands of survivors–including doctors, college professors, bank presidents, people of all ages and cultures, and even blind people–point to the exhilarating picture of Heaven promised in the Bible.

The consistency of these experiences is amazing. People world-wide almost all experience a very similar ” Being of light” –some know him immediately as Jesus, while others call him by the name of their god, such as certain Indian gods.Continue reading EXHILARATING HEAVEN→

Tweet Jesus Christ is the ultimate high priest and He presents us with a description of the one sacrifice of Jesus Christ as far superior to the many sacrifices offered by the old priesthood. Jesus said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they […]

Tweet THE PRINCIPAL AGENT OF MISSION The coming of the Holy Spirit makes them witnesses and prophets Acts 1:8; 2:17-18. It fills them with a serene courage which impels them to pass on to others their experience of Jesus and the hope which motivates them. The Spirit gives them the ability to bear witness to Jesus with “boldness.” […]